TARGETS OF THE PROJECT
Nine European schools specialising in the education of young people with special needs would work together around the preparation of disadvantaged and demotivated students and those with disabilities, in the European school partnership, for employment in protected and non-protected work situations.
Comparative studies will be carrying about:
- The organisation, implementation and evaluation of vocational training at school (year 2001-2002).
- The organisation and evaluation of work experience (year 2002-2003).
- Finding work for disabled and disadvantaged students (year 2003-2004).
- The teaching of social skills and attitudes in work situations (in each year of the project focus on the problem of that year).
- The integration (inclusion) of disabled and disadvantaged students in a mainstream or
protected work situation are aimed at those teachers and all those who are responsible for vocational training to give them a greater insight into these issues (in each year of the project focus on the problem of that year).
It is the intention of the project that all participants will:
- Learn from each other, changing attitudes where appropriate.
- Improve, understand and learn from each others vocational training.
In addition, we will check up on the possibility of organising student exchanges in different European enterprises.
TARGET GROUPS
At our School, the target groups are:
- Students with special needs: disabled (sensorial, motor and mentally handicapped).
- Social disadvantaged students and immigrants who dont speak Spanish.
- Demotivated students without Compulsory Secondary Education Certificate.
METHODS
- All communication between partners has been via e-mail, and necessitated the sending of attached documents and pictures. All the participants have greatly increased their competence and confidence in the use of ICT.
- Many of the partners have websites and access tot these enhances the project by bringing the schools closer to the students. The Coordinating School Don Bosco created a particular website for the project.
- Communication has been regular and reliable, and the Coordinator has skillfully ensured that everyone is kept up-to-date and well-informed.
- Students have exchanged e-mails about their own work experience, and have also uses desktop publishing to illustrate their letters.
ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOME (2001/2002)
1) Documents
1.1) Photo Album introducing each School. Each school made a photo album with the following contents: A view of the town/city, important enterprises, presentation of the school facilities, presentation of vocational training at school (equipment, pupils during the training), presentation of students in work experience situations...
1.2) A Comparative Study on Vocational Training at School. Each school made a document including: names of the vocational specialities with the typical names of the subjects, comparison of the timetabling of the lessons (the hours spent each week on each vocational training course), targets set for vocational training, evaluation systems for vocational training, how social skills are taught and assessed, how students are assessed in their various courses, e.g. exams, observations, etc., how achievements are reported, e.g. grades, certificates.
2) Meetings
2.1) Project meeting for teachers in Bristol (England) (27/11/01-02/12/01)
2.2) Evaluation of the first year & project meeting for teachers in Kremnica (Slovakia) (15-19/05/02)
3) Others
3.1) Basic foreign language learning is another factor in the drive for inclusion: our students and teachers can improve their foreign language skills and enjoy the stimulation this affords.
3.2) Other methods of teaching are observed and discussed and comparisons made. |  |